February 14,2014
Let’s be different on Valentines Day, roses can be salmon color.
If your Valentine Day lover appreciates wine as much as you, then rosé wine from Provence would be greatly enjoyed.
Value priced, 2012 Domaine Houchart Rose from Cotes de Provence Is what we aresharing with you today along with 2011 M Minuty Cotes de Provence.
February 10,2014
While the athletes are going for the gold medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi we have selected this bottle today for them.
Todays selection is the 1990 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande from Pauillac.
This wine is twenty fours years young and is going strong with gold lettering on the bottle.
January 31,2014
Today is the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Horse.
Animals make their way onto wine bottle labels frequent enough. Cheval translates from French to English to be Horse. So Cheval Noir with the horse on the label sounded like a choice to celebrate with. 
January 27, 2014
On the nose it was floral with white peaches. On the palate it was light bodied. There was creaminess with slight minerality and noticeable acidity as well. On the finish it was smooth and easy drinking. Average Retail Price $50 Tasted October 2011
2011 Chateau de Pampelonne
2011 Chateau de Pampelonne Rose – Cotes de Provence
It is a blend of Tibouren, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah.The wine has a beautiful salmon color. There are aromas of flowery fresh strawberries with some herbal scents. On the palate it is a full bodied wine.There is a slight creaminess and minerality with the soft sweet but not over powering fruit. Some gentle tannins are to be found. The finish is smooth and clean.
SRP is $15. Tasted September 2013
January 23, 2014
The weather is always a strong determining factor as to how the wines will turn out to be.
Bordeaux had a warm and dry spring into June. July brought lower than normal temperatures and plenty of rain. The temperatures in August dropped to cooler than normal.
With the moist conditions remaining from the heavy rain from July and the cooler temperatures in August, this set the stage for potentially more than usual vine diseases at this time of the year. At harvest time in September, an early rain made the Chateaus decide to pick early or at their normal time.
The warm dry spring created small berries with sun beat thick skins. The cool August slowed down the maturation and created uneven ripening of the berries throughout the bunches. The coolness also brought some more acidity in the berries. Time spent sorting out the uneven ripened berries was critical in this vintage.
Each winery had their own way of dealing with the weather and their more than normal adjustments in their vinification process.
So overall it should be considered a classic Bordeaux vintage. It is also a vintage to taste before you buy with all the inconsistencies amongst the Chateaus final products.
January 21, 2014
Union Des Grand Crus De Bordeaux 2014 Tour of the 2011 Vintage
On January 20, 2014 the Union Des Grand Crus De Bordeaux came to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC to show many of their member’s 2011 vintage.
Chateaux owners showing over 110 wines from the following regions of Bordeaux were present:
Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Saint Emilion Grand Cru,Pomerol,Listrac Medoc,Moulis-En-Medoc, Haut Medoc, Medoc, Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Saint Estephe, Barsac and Sauternes.
Here is a quick summary of the wines
Red Bordeaux
I have found that the outstanding region in this 2011 vintage belongs to Saint Emilion Grand Cru. All of the other regions had their standout wines but you needed to taste each to find the surprise winners.
White Bordeaux
Graves and Pessac Leognan are the main regions that produce White Bordeaux with blends of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Gris and Muscadel. There were only about a dozen being shown. Similar to the red wines there are inconsistencies.
This is a vintage to be tasted prior to buying each Chateau’s wines due to the lack of consistent quality production.
Review notes of the standouts to follow.
January 10,2014
I found my older tasting notes for some good and bad older wines. Here are some of my review notes.
1970 Grand Puy Lacoste-Pauilllac,Bordeaux
On the nose there was plummy raspberry jammy notes with some tobacco. On the palate there was more of faded dried fruits than jam with lots of acidity. The wine was alive with its great acidity in it;s long finish with the dried fruits. Past its maturity. Tasted October 2011.
1968 Batailley-Pauillac,Bordeaux
On the nose there was black cassis and notes of dried leather. On the palate, there was hints of faded fruit. The high acidity in the finish was all the wine had left to offer.Past its drinking life. Tasted October 2011.
1995 Chateau la Graviere Tirecul Vendage Tardive Cuvee Madame-Monbazillac,Bergerac,South West France
On the nose honey and caramel were flowing from the glass. On the palate, it was full bodied, rich and cloying. But the finish had the right acidity to balance the sweetness. Average Retail Price is $175 for 500 ml bottle.Tasted October 2011
January 9,2014
In celebrating the new year we are Champagne focused.
Let’s consider everday in January a day to celebrate.(if you require a celebration to drink champagne)
The Favorite Wine selections for January 2014 are:
1999 Champagne de Meric Cuvee Prestige Catherine de Medici Grand Cru Brut
Non Vintage Eric Rodez Cuvee des Crayeres Champagne
January 2, 2014
Rose
2012 Domaine Houchart Rose from Cotes de Provence
Champagne
1998 Piper Heidsieck Rare Champagne
Spanish
2011 Bodegas Mauro
Argentina
2010 Valle de la Puerta Ichanka Bonarda
France-White Bordeaux
2011 Chateau Bonnet-White Bordeaux
France-Red
2004 Chateau Malescot St. Exupery